HomePracticing and promoting Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) in DuPage County, Illinois.http://feralfixers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage
Thu, 22 Feb 2018 04:53:01 +0000Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Managementen-gb2018 The Human Racehttp://feralfixers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1133:2018-the-human-race&catid=8:announcements
]]>frontpageSat, 27 Jan 2018 04:27:25 +0000Let's see some winter cat pictures!http://feralfixers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1137:lets-see-some-winter-cat-pictures&catid=3:feralblog
Just a reminder that there is still snow on the ground (though it will be melting fast over the next few days) and that there is still time to send in photo entries for the 2018-2019 Holiday Card Contest.

As many of you know, each year Feral Fixers sends out a Holiday Greeting card to everyone on our mailing list. Beginning with the 2012 card, the picture on the card was chosen from entries made by you, our friends and supporters. While there is no monetary prize awarded for the winning entry, the winning photographer will be credited on the Holiday card. The picture should definitely say "winter" and "outdoor cat". A shelter would be nice, but is certainly not required. We can accept pictures in nearly any format as long as the resolution is acceptable. Please send your submissions to photocontest@feralfixers.org. Good luck!

]]>frontpageSat, 17 Feb 2018 04:44:50 +0000A New Year!http://feralfixers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1132:a-new-year&catid=2:fromthepresident
As I have said many times, I thought we’d be done by now! My first goal was 3,000 cats and when we got to 7,000 I knew that 10,000 was inevitable. I had no idea that we would still be doing TNR more than ten years after Feral Fixers became a reality.

This should be a year of big changes. We may finally be able to canvas neighborhoods, making sure the word is out section by section – of course we need volunteers to help with that. We may finalize getting a building – we’re working very hard on that and will be having more fundraisers that are directed towards those funds – we need more volunteers for that! There are a couple new opportunities for spay/neuter that should manifest in 2018, and as a result there might actually be some competition for our spay/ neuter surgeries – wouldn’t that be something?!? At the very least, more of the public will be getting their own cats neutered, reducing the pressure on Feral Fixers. Big changes!

Frosty Claws

This Frosty Claws was one of the most pleasant, I think. No drama, so many familiar faces, so many people stayed for the whole event, socializing and sharing. Lots of interest in our plans for a building. The Silent Auction and Door Prizes and Stick Raffle were a huge hit, I heard people say so many times how they got the prize they had their heart set on! Can’t tell you how gratifying it is to work so hard on this one day event and have it appreciated! We usually hold it the day before MLK, which I believe is January 20th in 2019! How’s that for fair warning?

Building

We received disappointing news this week, the building we were hoping for was sold to someone else who was able to make a cash offer – the seller went with the proposal that was simplest and fastest for him, the building has been for sale for a long time. So we’re back on the hunt for the right location for Feral Fixers. Luckily, we were able to cement some of our goals and bring life to our ideas once we had the possibility of a structure. We know more about what we are looking for. 3,000 square feet, free standing, sufficient parking, Lombard, Villa Park area. We currently have our “Fund Our Ferals Future” Fundraiser going on until March 14th and donors have pledged to match $11,500 in donations! This is the largest goal we’ve ever set for a Feral Fixers fundraiser so far – please help us get there! Spread our information to friends and family, $10 can make a huge difference, especially when it comes to matching funds. We’ll be doing more Five Below and restaurant fundraisers that will support our “Future” Fund – stay posted!

Kittens, Kittens, Kittens

We seem to have seen the numbers of kittens decline in the area – not just for Feral Fixers but the area rescues seem to see that as well. At the same time, the number of adoptive homes may be declining. All adoption organizations are seeing an increase in the number of returned cats due to housing changes, whether that is to an apartment that does not allow pets, into a shared home situation that already has too many animals or allergies of new cohabitants. This reduces the number of homes available to adopt the cats and kittens we all have on hand. It will be interesting to see what transpires in 2018. All we can hope is that we get out there March to May and spay a record number of females in order to keep the number of kittens produced on the decline. We say it a lot but please talk about Feral Fixers and about early spay/neuter – before the kittens show up!!! When we see you at the Kitten Shower on April 22nd, we hope to report a large number of spay/neuters already done for the year!!!

DuPage Human Race

Unlike our recent 10K1K10Yr event, which was held at the VFW with lots of socializing, sitting and food, this really IS an athletic event!

So far we have one participant signed up to represent Feral Fixers in the Human Race – our goal is at least five participants and to raise at least $500 for Feral Fixers. The Human Race is a community event that benefits over 70 non-profit organizations in DuPage County. Run 5k, walk 2k, collect pledges for Feral Fixers. See our event page for more details and visit the Humane Race website. Registration fees will go up on a monthly basis until the day of the race, Saturday, April 28th. The location is The Esplanade at Locust Point, 1901 W Butterfield Road in Downers Grove. Be one of the first 1,700 entrants to get your t-shirt. Feral Fixers can win additional monetary prizes based on largest amount of pledges earned, etc. This will be the first time Feral Fixers is participating – please make it successful! The event looks like a lot of fun and Feral Fixers will be there to cheer you on! Sign up, designate Feral Fixers as your charity and enlist your fellow athletes to help the cats of DuPage County!

]]>frontpageSat, 27 Jan 2018 03:50:56 +0000March 6th Chipotle Fundraiser!http://feralfixers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1135:march-6th-chipotle-fundraiser&catid=3:feralblog
Join us on Tuesday, March 6th, 4pm - 8pm at the Downers Grove Chipotle, 1556 Butterfield Rd., Downers Grove - a fundraiser for Fund Our Ferals Future. Feral Fixers will receive 50% of your tab! We need to have a minimum of $300 spent in order to receive a minimum of $150! Something for everyone - vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free available and centrally located to our donor base! Print some flyers, display on your phone, pass flyers out to friends and family, bring one to the event! Online orders do not qualify. Cannot pass flyers out at the location so get the word out and start putting your group together now!

Due to how popular this fundraiser is, we can only do this ONCE a year - let's make this huge! Help us get that building!!! (Download full-page flyer here. Download half-page flyer here.)

]]>frontpageFri, 03 Nov 2017 02:54:39 +0000January 27th Adoption Eventhttp://feralfixers.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1134:january-27th-adoption-event&catid=3:feralblog
The weather was nice and spirits were high for our adoption event on Saturday, 1/27, at the PetSmart in Wheaton. We had a busy, fun and productive day :-)

3 pre-approved adopters came to meet our cats & kittens and 6 applications were completed at the event. This resulted in 5 adoptions at the event, 1 on Sunday, and 2 likely in the near future.

We started out the event with an adult adoption :-) Trusty went home with a great gal from Warrenville. He will be her only kitty companion, but will have 2 older dogs to keep him company.

HoHo and Tarik were the choice of the children of a nice family from West Chicago whose prior cat had recently passed.

Aviva won the heart of a wonderful gal from Wheaton. She will have an 11 yr old male cat as a companion.

Abigail went home with a great family from St. Charles. She will have a 3 yr old male cat (rescued by Aurora River Cats) as her companion.

Popcorn went home on Sunday with a nice family from Glen Ellyn, who have traditionally been "dog people", but the dad and son wanted a cat. Popcorn is sure to show them how wonderful felines can be!

Follow-up is also underway with 2 other approved adopters.

December and January are typically some of our busiest months for adoptions and this year was no exception. We had 35 adoptions in January with ~25 of those adoptions occurring in the last 2 weeks, so it has been a very busy time. Hopefully the momentum will continue so we can find homes for all of our 2017 rescues to make room for our soon to be starting 2018 rescues!

Many thanks to the volunteers and fosters who made the event a success, namely Sara, Bonnie, Lauren, Julie, Diane L, Cheri, Nicolette, Marjorie & Murray, Christine R, Dedra, Leslie, Rhae & Greg, Erika, and Laurel. Your help with set-up and clean-up is most appreciated, and your interaction with our guests and potential adopters is what yields successful adoptions - thank you so much!

Special thanks to Julie for the excellent photographic and video coverage of the event, and to Sara for handling the adoption paperwork and helping with adoption counseling during the event. Many thanks to Connie and Ted for advertising the event and providing live Facebook coverage. Thanks to Lauren for the cute cage cards, and to Debbie and Mike for updating the Adoptable Cats & Kittens board and binder. Thanks also to Sara for help with the laundry.

Our next adoption event will be Saturday, 2/17, at the PetSmart at 63 Rice Lake Square in Wheaton from 11am-3pm. This is the first PetSmart National Adoption Weekend in 2018.